


Interesting

by the_impatient_panda



Category: Babylon 5
Genre: F/F, F/M, In the Beginning, baby ficlet, just got my toes wet, just where things start, totally not finished
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-21
Updated: 2020-07-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:20:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25413832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_impatient_panda/pseuds/the_impatient_panda
Summary: The slow burn and then following happenings that should have happened with Talia and Susan, had someone not been booted from the plot far too early.WARNING: INCOMPLETE, and not just kinda sorta. This is missing 98% of it. I just love, love, love the way the beginning came out and wanted to share that even if the rest of it is lost to my inability to commit to this project. :/
Relationships: Delenn/John Sheridan, Susan Ivanova/Talia Winters
Comments: 2
Kudos: 14





	Interesting

Interesting.

It was both an over- and understatement. How she felt about Talia Winters. Or didn't feel. Or shouldn't feel.

Ivanova knew she was an.... imposing figure at times. Cultivating the image of an insurmountable fortress took time and care. She did not dare wear makeup or be seen with her hair down and loose for years. And being able to present herself with hair down and in more feminine clothes in her off hours was only a recent luxury. Now that people realized it wasn’t a hard exterior protecting a soft core, but instead a lace and flower crown on a knight clad in steel she could afford the occasional affectation to femininity. Pretty, but still every bit as dangerous as before.

So when Talia Winters had not even flinched under her callous and calculated dismissal, she was reluctantly impressed. And then remembered that PSI Corps were basically soulless minions of the void. Though Talia Winters didn’t look soulless. In fact she was...quite attractive. If you liked blonde women with pouty lips, excellent fashion sense and voluptuous curves. 

Ivanova wasn’t sure whether or not she did. Or perhaps was not willing to look to closely at whether or not she did. At any rate, the woman was PSI Corps, and she hated PSI Corps, so...she at the very least had no reason to like Talia Winters in the least. 

“Ivanova.”

“Garibaldi.” 

The security chief waited. He had a talent for that, waiting. Eventually, she sighed and asked, “What?”

“You’re being unusually unkind to Miss Winters, who is just trying to do her job.”

“She is definitely out of your league. And perfectly capable, I suspect, of taking care of herself.”

“Maybe.” Shrugs. “Still doesn’t make your behaviour a-ok.”

Ivanova didn’t have an answer for that.

But when Talia Winters showed up at her favorite watering hole after work and quietly but firmly insisted on an actual conversation like human beings...it was difficult to ignore and impossible to be rude with Garibaldi’s voice haunting the back of her mind.

It was not an easy conversation, but she managed. 

Respect was hard to earn from the Station’s second in command, but inch by begrudged inch she found herself giving it to Talia Winters. From her demeanor and ability to put personal feelings aside to do what was right to her willingness to sacrifice everything for those who were her friends...she was not just a pretty package with PSI Corps stamped on the side. Though it was hard to listen when she still bought into the lies of her superiors. 

Finding a solution for Alisa Beldon that at least somewhat satisfied them both was...both a triumph and a relief. A triumph because anything was better than giving the PSI Corps another innocent to play god with, and a relief because...at some point hurting the woman became the last thing she wanted to do. Delene, if Ivanova was any judge of aliens, had more power than she admitted, and would see the girl was properly taken care of. A life of freedom and safety...it was what the PSI Corps may have started as, but were no more. 

There was, of course, the incident with the girl’s curious mind. And untutored powers. She accidentally reads a stray thought from Ivanova when they’re alone.

“You think Ms. Winters is pretty!”

Talia pauses for a long moment. “...we will never speak of this again, and you will not mention it to anyone, yes?”

“...yes.” Quietly. But still hiding a smile. “I think Ms. Winters is pretty, too.”

Ivannova gave her a look. The girl just shrugged. 

“I was just saying...I do.” Ivannova’s stare doesn’t waver. The girl gives in. They move on. 

Their drink together after the affair was settled became a semi-regular event, and to her surprise not always initiated by the telepath. The words slipping past her defenses and out of her mouth before she could consider the wisdom.

“Would you like to have a drink tonight, Ms. Winters? In turn for the one you bought me the other day.” 

The other woman paused, studying her briefly before smiling. “Yes I would, Colonel.”

It was never for very long, both cautious of...something. A...tension. As though too much time together would break the tenuous bonds they built. Drink by drink. Cautious nods in passing became verbal greetings and sometimes even stopping to exchange a word or two. 

It meant so much, perhaps more than it should have, when Ivanova overheard the telepath affirming to a client that despite Sinclair’s abrupt dismissal from the Babylon5 station, Colonel Ivanova had everything well in hand while they awaited the arrival of the new CO. 

Which is why when her new CO and old friend looked her in the face and asked what she thought of Ms. Talia Winters the best she could come up with on such short notice was, “Interesting.”

“Interesting? You never describe anyone as interesting.”

But Talia was...interesting. And beautiful. And brave. And smart. And kind. 

And still hip-deep in PSI Corps philosophy. 

It took more than mental gymnastics to keep Captain John Sheridan from reading what was in her mind, but for once luck was one her side. 

That didn’t stop her from almost blushing to her roots when the next time they had drinks the telepath mentioned a brief run in with Ambassador Delene. “She said to thank you again for your assistance with her hair.” Those thin brows lifted ever so slightly, inviting the Commander to share what was meant by that. 

Clearing her throat, Ivanova strove to maintain a straight face. “...her transition to being partially human without thoroughly researching the matter first has left her with some...gaps in her knowledge. I protested that I am not the best person to help her with those gaps, but she insists that she...trusts me.” Shrugging to play it off as less than it was. “I only hope I was able to assist her in a satisfactory manner, as I don’t know that I’m up to playing ‘mother’ a second time.”

“She seemed very satisfied.” Hiding a smile. “And very fetching in her new human-style clothes. She was going to have dinner with Captain Sheridan, I believe.”

“...was she?”

Tilting her head to the side. “Jealous?”

“No.” Certain, firm. “I...have known Captain Sheridan for a long time. And he has a...type. One which Ambassador Delene in her altered state fits...rather well.”

“Well, at any rate, I think the Ambassador’s trust was well-placed.” Smiling wider.

Again, fighting the blush. “Thank you.” Checking the time. “Ah, I must be getting back to-”

“I know.” Standing as well. “Thank you for the drink, Commander. Until next time?”

Which is perhaps why, when Ivanova finally regained the use of her quarters after the Captain’s ill-considered plan to hold out against the bean-counters of Earth Force (and yes he did snore) she was not annoyed as much as she might have been at Ms. Winters coming to her quarters unannounced with her favorite wine (when had she found that out?) and asking to talk. Because Ivanova was right (which she usually liked to hear, though the ache behind those words made her ache in turn) and...Talia didn’t know who else to talk to. Who else to trust. 

The gloves were off. It was rare to see a PSI Corps representative do that, that it was impossible not to notice immediately. The way they were tossed to the side. Not carefully tucked in a pocket or belt loop for easy retrieval. Left on a counter, well out of reach of the comfortable couches and table. 

“Unless my presence offends you?”

That hadn’t been the case in months. And was usually the opposite. But the badge on her collar winked at her from one perfect shoulder, and Ivanova heard herself say, “But that does.”

She wasn’t sure what she wanted Talia to do, or what she herself would do if Talia refused, or left. 

The badge was removed, and placed to the side.

For the first time, Ivanova felt herself completely relax in the presence of Talia Winters. 

They sat, and poured the drinks. 

-More Delene scenes, asking questions about ‘human things’

-Ivanova ‘sleeping’ with the ambassador, to seal the deal on an alliance

-The footage of Ivanova from the news special episode (Talia watching it again, and Ivanova catching her doing so)

-Talia slapping the CRAP out of the Captain for him using her in such an underhanded manner

-Talia finally telling Ivanova about Ironheart, and that she thinks he gave her a gift.

-Susan remembers the gift, and a story about how Ironheart always called her (some sort of small, burrowing animal) when they were lovers. There is a song or poem or something that went with it. When Talia is flipped, Susan uses that, hoping to bring her Talia back. That Ironheart knew the truth and wanted to protect someone he once loved.

It works. Talia comes out of it, back to herself. Kisses Susan, in front of everyone for the first time.

Sheridan comment, “I guess I didn't know how she felt about telepaths.” Delene just smiles a secret smile when he tells her that, in confidence, because she totally knew. 

But, Talia can't stay. Doc helps her escape to wherever Ironheart is. Fix the story from there. S4? No contact between them that whole time. But a promise of 'I'll wait.’ Also, Talia already knew about Susan’s ability. She figured it out some time ago, but didn’t want to bring it up out of fear of driving Susan away. 

-Afterwards: Susan is who Delene asks to help her learn more about ‘human language’. The conversation involving ‘butt’ must be particularly hilarious. 

-Sheridan actually gets a little jealous how much time Delene is spending with Susan, until Delene frames it as her helping Susan cope with the loss of someone who had become so important to her. 

-Somehow we get to all is well and Susan and Talia are together! Yay!


End file.
